Device for putting on and removing hosiery



July 14, 1959 L-SILKEN 2,894,669

DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON AND REMOVING HOSIERY I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June13, 1955 IT e [/4 INVENTOR.

IRVING S/LKEN ATTORNEY;

July 14, 1959 l. SILKEN 2,894,669

DEVICE FOR PUTTING on AND REMOVING HOSIERY Filed June 15, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. lRV/NG S/LKEN ATTORNEY l. SlLKEN DEVICE FORPUTTING on AND REMOVING HOSIERY Filed. June 15, 1955 July 14, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTbR. mum/a S/L KEN d A T TORNE Y July 14, 1959 y l.SILKEN 2,894,659

DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON AND REMOVING HOSIERY Filed June 13, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 4 F/G. Z5

z l LL fl v l '1 W W I I 1 INVENTOR. IPV/A/G S/LKEN Arm/2N5 Y July 14,1959 SlLKEN v 2,394,659

DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON AND REMOVING Hosmw Filed June 13, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. [PW/V6 S/ZKE/V BYl ATfdZ/YEY United StatesPatent DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON AND REMOVING HOSIERY Irving Silken,Astoria, N.Y.

Application June 13, 1955, Serial No. 515,071 13 Claims. (Cl. 223-111)This invention relates to a device for putting on and removing hosieryand is particularly devised as an aid to persons, both male and female,who cannot bend over sufliciently to remove or put on hosiery with theirhands,

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thecharacter described which includes a handle,

on one end and apparatus on the other end for handling hosiery, atubular body between said handle and said apparatus, said tubular bodyincluding swivel joints enabling portions of the tubular body to beoffset to clear the curves and/ or deformities of the legs of a user ofthe device.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a device forputting on and'taking off hosiery, comprising a handle on a tubular bodywith Bowden wire controls,- a pair of spaced apart hoop-like holders forthe hose, the smaller of which is engaged by a womans stockingintermediate its length, and the larger holder of which isadapted to beengaged by the upper or larger end of said :stocking, said larger holderbeing adapted to be swung .to one'side or the other (right or left) tofacilitate the application of said stocking' Another object of theinvention is the provision of apparatus which will not only apply orremove hosiery, but which carries cooperative elements to engage theheel of .a shoe and enable the user also to take off and put on :shoes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be :apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon a study .of-this specification and theaccompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved devicev ifor applying andremoving hosiery which carries accessories for handling stockings of anylength;

Figure 2 is a view similar to the device shown in Figure ll, except thatit carries accessories for handling mens hosiery and also mens shoes;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown linFigure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevation taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure ing fittings thereon for putting on and removing mens hosiery,and a cooperative fitting for handling both hosi- Figure 5, except thatthe coopera- 5 is a view of the lower end of the device showice I Figure8 is a cross-sectional elevation of thehandle end of my device showingthe upper handle clamping the Bowden wire control, the secondary handlehaving one of its plungers in engagement with certain elements withinthe conduit body;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, except that certain elementscontrolled by the secondary handle have been released and the effect ofthis release;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing both the primary andthe secondary plungers of the secondary handle;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 8,.showing the release of theBowden wire control of fittings by the rotation of the upper handle;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a.

Fig. 15 is a side view of the C-shaped attachment, partly in section andwith some parts omitted;

Fig. 16 is a schematic view showing a ladys stocking gripped by thedevice preparatory to insertion of the foot;: Fig'. 17 is a view similarto-Fig. 16, showing the stocking part way on; V i 7 Fig. 18 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 17, showing the tube released from the ring;

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 18, showing the ring ready to bereleased, and

Fig. 20 shows the ring in its open position.

Referring now to Figure 1, I show a perspective view of a species of theinvention which was devised principally by use for women, while inFigure 3, I show a side elevation of the device of Figure 1.

Primarily the device is comprised of a shaft or column which carries aBowden wire and one end of the shaft has a pair of handles which mightbe termed control handles and on the other end is carried attachments towhich hosiery may be secured to facilitate their being put on or takenoff the users legs.

In Figure l, I show aperspective view of a form of the invention whichis particularly adapted to be used by women for putting on and takingoff stockings, while in Figure 2, I show another form which isparticularly adapted to be used by men for putting on and taking offhosiery. However the first mentioned form of the invention, shown inperspective in Figure l, and in side elevation, Figure 3, will bedescribed first. Referring to Fig ures 1, 3 and Figures 7, 8, 9, l0, l1and 12, the latter group of which illustrate elements common to bothforms,

' a main tubular body 20 has a Bowden wire 21 therein,

from the upper extremity of the body 20, and said wire is secured insaid portion by means of set screws 34. In said portion 33 between apoint where the wire 21 terminates and the upper end thereof, I providea elongated slot 35.

The reciprocable portion 33 has aligned lateral holes 37 and 37atherein, and normally in alignment with the holes 37 and 37a is a hole38 formed in a tongue portion 31 of a second reciprocable portion 30which has an internally threaded hole 16 therein.

Engaging the threads of the hole 16 is a screw 29 which a Patented July14, 1959 .3 is preferably formed integral with a cap portion 23. The capportion fits over, or spans the end of the tubular body 20, the upperend of the internally threaded sleeve portion 30, and it also extendsover the upper extremity of a ring 27 carried on the upper fixed end ofthe tubular body 20, the cap having a counterbore 28 therein. A fitting19 having a tubular portion 22, which forms a working fit on the tubularbody 20, has opposed extensions 17 and 18 with threaded holes thereinengaged by nipples 39 and 40, which are in turn capped by screw caps 41and 42 respectively and form a handle.

Extending inwardly from a fiange 24 on said cap 23 are radial screws 25which secure the cap 23 to the upper end of the fitting 19 and insurethat the handle and the cap, together with the screw 29 move in unison.

A fitting 43, Figure 8, which is carried on the main tubular body 20,has aligned threaded holes 44 and 45 therein which are engaged bythreaded nipples 46 and 47, respectively. The nipple 46 has a capportion 48 the inner surface of which fits on the outer end surface ofthe nipple 46. Secured in the cap portion 48 is a plunger shaft 49, oneend 50 of which is fixed in the cap end 43 and the other end 52 of whichforms a plunger adapted to enter holes 37 and 38 when they are alignedas will be hereinafter explained.

A disc 51 is secured on the shaft 49 and is abutted by one end of ahelical spring 53, which embraces the shaft 49, and the other end ofthis spring is in contact with a second disc 54 which is secured intothe end of the nipple 46 and is free on the shaft 49. A pin in saidnipple has a head 55 against which the skirt or bottom edge of the cap48 cams as the cap is rotated, and thereby the plunger 52 is moved intoor out of the aligned holes 37 and 38. In Figure 8, the plunger is insaid holes, while in Figure 9, the plunger is partially in the hole 37and the tongue portion 31 has been released and the fitting 43 with theplunger 52 still projecting part way into the hole 37 may be moved up ordown on the main tubular body 20 within the limits bound by alongitudinal slot 56 formed in the main tubular body 20. The overalleffect of this will be presently described.

The nipple 7 engages threaded hole 45 of the fitting 433 and it alsocarries a cap 58 similar to the cap 48, with the exception that the cap58 is fixed on the nipple 47 and with the latter forms a fixed handlefor the user to pull against by grasping the handle 40 and the fixedhandle 47 with one hand and grasping the handles 39 and 46 with theother hand, powerful leverage may be exerted urging one set of handlestoward the other set. The plunger 52 is always engaged with the hole 37in the reciprocable member 33, and it may engage the hole 38 in theportion 31, or be disengaged therefrom.

In Figure 10, I show a screw 62 which extends through the wall of thefitting 43, through the slot 56 formed in the body 20 and into athreaded hole formed in the element 33. Now in order to prevent thefitting 43 from being deformed inwardly and clamp itself to the element33 with the portion of the wall 20 therebetween, I provide on the screw62 a distancing sleeve 63 which is of such length that neither of theelements 43 or 33 can be clamped to wall 20 and thus bind on the latter.With this arrangement, the fitting 43 and the element 33 may be movedfreely in either direction within the length defined by the slot 56.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be noted that the elements describedin connection with Figures 8 to 12, inclusive, appear in the upperportion of Figure 3 denoted by the section line 8-8. Now I contemplateone form of the invention wherein the main tubular body is formed of onepiece of tubing and extends from the upper end of Figure 3 to the lowerend and another form of the invention actually shown in Figure 3contemplates the formation of the main tubular body into series ofsections which are swiveled together. For example, the main tubular body20 of Figure 3 may carry on its lower end threads 66 which are engagedby a threaded cap nut 67 which has a central hole therethrough toaccommodate a tubular member 68 and which has a suflicient interior boreto accommodate the Bowden wire 21. The tubular member 68 has a ball oneach end thereof and in Figure 13 I show a fragmentary crosssectionwherein the tubular member 68 carries a ball 69 on the lower end thereofand it carries a light ball on the upper end thereof Which sockets inthe lower end of the tubular body 20 and the cap nut 67. These balls maybe secured on the tubular member 68 in any suitable manner, for exampleby sweating, brazing or by riveting. The ball 69 is socketed between acap nut 70 and the upper end 71 of a second tubular body 72. To adjustthe device, the cap nuts may be loosened and the body may be set with adesired clearance and then secured in the desired adjusted relation bymeans of the cap nuts.

The lower end 73 of the second tubular body 72 is threaded and isengaged by a cap nut 74. A second tubular member '75 is substantiallyidentical with the tubular member 68 and it has balls on the order ofthe balls 69 on each end thereof and the upper one is clamped to thesecond tubular body 72 and its lower end is clamped to a third tubularbody 76 by means of a cap nut 77. In the modified device (as shown inFigs. 13 and 14) having the adjustable features described above, Iprovide the novel feature of having the device so it can be folded tosubstantially half its length by the provision of a link 78 having ahole 79 therein through which the Bowden wire 21 extends and is twistedback on itself as designated by the numeral 80. The other end of thelink has a second hole 81 therein and a continuation of the Bowden wire21a has its upper end extending through the hole 81 and wound back uponitself 82. Now when it is desired to pack the device, for example, fortraveling the cap nut 70 may be loosened to the point of disengagementfrom the threads 71 and then the upper end of the body may be foldedback upon itself in a manner sug gested by the fragmentary view ofFigure 14. To restore it to its original length the reverse is the caseand the upper portion is brought upwardly to its normal position and thecap nut 70 is re-engaged with the threads 71.

The third tubular body and the elements within and associated therewithmay best be seen in Figure 7 wherein the second tubular member 75 has onits lower end a ball 83 which may be clamped between the upper end ofthe third tubular body 76 and the cap nut 77, threads 84 being providedto be engaged by corresponding threads in the cap nut 77. Within theinterior bore 35 is a helical compression spring 86 through which theBowden wire 21a extends, and abutting the lower end of the spring 86 isa sleeve member 87, the outer diameter of which forms a working fitwithin the bore 85. The sleeve member 87 also has an interior bore 88which includes suflicient clearance for the Bowden wire 21a. The sleevemember 87 carries in a threaded hole therein a set screw 89 which may beof the Allen type, for example, and it, in assembly, is tightenedthrough a hole 90 formed in the wall of the third tubular body 76. Themember 87 also has a second threaded hole 91 therein which is engaged bythreads 92 on a stud 93 having a rectangular head 94 thereon. This studmay also clamp the Bowden wire 21a to element 87. It will be understoodthat the head 94 does not necessarily have to be rectangular since itcould have any other desired form. This will be better understood whenthe real function of the stud 93 is described hereinafter. The thirdtubular body also has an elongated slot 95 through whioh the stud 93extends and its inoperative position is in the position shown in dottedlines at 931;, its intermediate position (the position when the handleis as shown in Figure 9 as shown in dot-dash lines at 93c) and of coursethe solid lines show the position of the stud 93 when the handle 39, 40is in the relation shown in Figure 8. Within the bore 85 near the lowerend 96 of the third tubular body is a stop ass gees member 97 againstwhich the lower end 98 of the sleeve member 87 comes to rest under theurge of the spring 86 when the handle 39, 40 is rotated to loosen anddetach any fixtures therefrom as will presently be described.

The lower end of the third tubular body 76 is provided with threads 99which are engaged by corresponding threads formed in a nut 100, and thenut 100 carries a locking screw 101 for retaining it inany desiredposition on the threads 99. Formed integral with the nut 100 is a sleeveportion 102 upon which a fourth tubular body 103 is swiveled. The fourthtubular body 103 has a cross pin 104 secured therein and this pin has acentral hole 105 therethrough for the passage of the Bowden wire 21a.This pin also has a head portion 113 which may best be seen in Figure 4.The sleeve portion 102 of the nut 100 has notch means 106 and this iscomprised of two arcuate portions in lateral alignment which ride overthe cross pin 104 in the tubular body 103. On the lower end of the body103 I provide a cap 107 which has a clearance hole 108 therein for thewire 21a.

Slidably mounted within the lower end of the body 103 is a disk-likemember 109 which carries a set screw 110 by means of which the disk 109and the wire 21 are clamped in a fixed relation. Abutting the lower endof the tubular extension 102 is a washer 111, and between the washer 111and the disk 109 I position a helical compression spring 112 which urgesthe end of the tubular portion against the fiat surface 100a of the nutand the washer 111against the lower end of the sleeve extension 102thereby havinga restraining. effect on'the body 103 and causing thelatter to more or less smoothly swivel on the tubular extension 102. U

The tubular bodyportion 103 has secured thereon rectangular boss 114,and extending laterally. through this boss is a threaded stud 115- whichis threadedly engaged by a latch member 116 which hasv a threadedinteriorhole with threads matching the threads on the stud 115. Thisarrangement may best be seenin Figures 3 and 4. I The purpose of thisarrangement will presently be described.

The tubular body .76 has secured thereto a bracket 117 which has a longleg portion 118 and a shorter leg portion 119 extending 90 degrees withrespect thereto the legportion 118 has therein an elongated slot 120paralleling the slot 95 formed in the body-76.. The bracket portion 119has a slot or notch 121 formed therein and this slot functions as aguide for attachments to'be applied to the device as will presently bedescribed. Secured on the leg 119 and depending therefrom is a fixture122 which as seen in plan is substantially O-shaped, and this fixturehas a lower surface which is comprised of an insert 123 comprisingresilient material which preferably has a high coefiicient of friction.Adjacent to the upper.

end of the leg 118 is a stud 124 mounted in a suitable opening in thewall of the third tubular body 76 and which has fixed thereon adisk-like member 125 and this disk-like member is spaced apart from thesurface of the leg 118 a distance sufiicient to accommodate, withclearance, diiferent attachments for use in connection with the device.

One example of. the above is a pressure imposing element generallydesignated by the numeral 126 and comprised of a generally C-shaped body127 as shown in Figs. 1 and 7 to which is secured by welding or thelikea bracket member having a vertical portion 128, a horizontal portion129 and a second verticalportion 130, the upper end of which has a slot131 formed therein. The portion 127 may be formed of frictional materialor it may be formed of other material and covered with fri'ctionalmaterial so that as a mans sock or' a womans stocking has a portionthereof disposed between the surface of theelement 127 and that of theinsert 123 the sock or stocking is engaged with-more than 'sufiicientfriction to prevent it from slipping when 'a mans foot or a womans footrespectively'is inserted into the portion of the sock or stocking belowthe element 123 and 127' (which is the foot and angle portion of thehosiery).

When the attachment 126 is to be applied to the device;

the handle 39, 40, is screwed in a direction to ease the compression ofthe spring 86 and thereby the sleeve member 87 is moved downwardly, sayto the point where the stud 93 appears in the dotted position 93b or930, then the attachment 126 may be positioned with the portion 130 incontact with the portion 118 of the bracket 117 quently 'to'move thestud 93 up to the position shown in solid lines, whereby the attachmentis fixed on the device due 'tothe pressure of the stud against theportion 129 of the bracket and the pressure at the bottom of the slot131 against the 'stud 124. A loop attachment over which the large end ofthe stocking is passed, is generally desig nated by the numeral 133,- inFigures 1, 3 and 4 and it is comprised of a split ring having a hinge134 and a second hinge (not shown) and afastener 135. Adjacent to thehinge 134 as shown in Fig. 4 is a depending portion 136 of a bracket.Joining the portion 136 is a horizontal portion 137 which is secured toa second vertical portion 138 which has a rectangular slot 139 formedtherein and this slot forms a Working fit on the rectangular boss 114.and the vertical portion 138 also contacts the head 113 previouslydescribed.

In applying the-attachment 133. the rectangular slot 139 is positionedover the rectangular boss 114 and the vertical part .138 is supportedby. the head 113 and by turning. the latchmember 116 and therebycausingit to crossthe surface of the portion 138 and at the same time totighten itvagainst the rectangular 'boss' 114, due to theafact that thethreaded hole in the latch cooperates to push the'latch inwardly as thelatch is rotated.

With the attachment 133; mounted as above, the device has an appearancesimilar to that shown in Fig. I.

The stocking 146 is gripped between elements 122 and I 127 at a pointapproximately midway between the ankle and knee thereof. The upper endof the stocking is fitted over the ring 140 and an elastic band or theequivalent is applied to hold said upper end on ring 140. After the footis inserted into the stocking, elements 122 and 127 are separated fromeach other, thus releasing the stocking;

The calf of the leg is then slipped out of the embrace of said elementsand the elements are turned either to the right or left. vRing 140 isthen drawn up the leg, carrying the upper, end of the stocking with it.

Now referring to Figures 2 and 5, I show a modification of the device tobe used by men in putting on and taking off'socks and even shoes. Theupper portion of the device also includes tubular bodies like the first,second and .third tubular bodies, and thesev are designated as- Thesehave already been described-" in detail inconnection with Figures 1 and3, and this 20a, 72a and 76a.

description employs the same numerals followed by the letter a, and thisdescription need' not be repeated. In Figures 2 and 5 I employ insteadof the nut 100, the swivel feature, and a nut 141 which is screwed ontothe thread 99a on the lower end of the member 76a and this nut 141 has atapered extension 142 extending axially downward, a horizontal portion143 formed integral:

through. and an angular portion 144which. constitutes the extremity ofthe extension 142. The portion144 terminates in a wedge-shaped end 145.The Bowden wire 2112 within the lower portion of the tubular body 76amay terminate in the sleeve member, not shown,

but identical with the one shown at 87 in Figure 7. The

element 117a carrying the C-shaped member 122a and the frictional member123a is fixed on the third tubular body 76a and the member 127a forclamping the stocking or sock firmly against the insert 123a is urgedupwardly by the stud 93a and thereby prevents the sock from slipping.The elements having the same numeral followed by a are identical withthose described by the same numeral, or the same numeral followed by a,relate to identical parts in the modifications. This arrangement isshown in Figure 6, the sock being shown at 146. With the sock on thefoot and/or when it is desired to put a shoe on the foot, an arrangementsuch as that shown in Figure would be employed, wherein in addition tothe nut 141 with its portions 142, 143 and 144 would be employed, andcooperating with the nut and its extensions I employ an attachmentgenerally designated by the numeral 147 (Figure 5) which has asubstantially vertical portion 148, a second vertical portion 149 whichis offset and has a horizontal portion 150. The portion 149 is providedwith a slot 151a which is similar to the upper portion of the bracket ofthe pressure imposing element 126 wherein a slot 131 (see Figure 7) isformed so that the slot 131 will ride over the stud 124. So in this casethe upper portion 151 is of substantially the same form. Joining thelower end of the vertical portion 148 is an angular portion 152 whichextends at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the vertical andjoining this portion is a short horizontal portion 153 which is adaptedto and tries to establish contact on a horizontal plane with the lowersurface of the portion 143 and the lower end 154 of the element 147extends downwardly and at the same time it is curved so that it maycooperate with the portions 143 and 144 of Figure 5. For removing a sockfrom the foot of the wearer the attachment 147 is partially released,for example by allowing the stud 93 to snap to the position 93b byrotating the cap portion 48 and thereby a space is provided between thehorizontal portion 143 and the horizontal portion 153. With theseelements separated the device is pushed downwardly while engaged withthe top of the sock with the result that the sock follows the curvebetween the two surfaces and ends up in a horizontal plane or at leastbetween the two fiat surfaces 142 and 143 and these may be clamped withthe sock therebetween by means of the handle 39, 40, then the device ispushed endwise, thereby carrying the sock over the heel, thence off thefoot.

Where it is desired to put on or remove a mans shoe, the elements wouldbe released as described above, so as to provide a space between thehorizontal portions 143 and 153, then the device would be pushed overthe heel of the shoe so that the web of the heel per se would follow thecurve between the two members and have at least a portion thereof landbetween portions 143 and 153 above described. Following this theelements 143 and the portion 153 of the element 147 are clamped togetherwith the portion of the shoe heel therebetween by means of the handle39, 40, and to put the shoe on, the user would place the shoe and whilejoined to the device on the floor, place his foot in the shoe, push thefoot down at the same time pull upwardly the device and the shoe is puton with the greatest facility. After the shoe is on, the heel isreleased from between the portion 143 and 153 by operating the plunger152, by rotating the cap 48 and thereby camming the plunger endwise tothe right as seen in Figure 9. This releases the stud 93 and permits aspace to appear between the surfaces 143 and 153.

Operating the form of the device shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 7 forputting on and taking 0/} womens stockings or surgical house Beforeapplying the attachment 133 onto the device, the user, holding theattachment 133 in the hands applies the large end of the stocking overthe ring 140. Then an elastic band (not shown in the drawing),preferably of substantially the same width as that of the ring 141 isapplied to hold the stocking in positive engagement of the surface ofthe ring 140, said surface being preferably covered with felt so thatthe portion of the stocking about the ring and over it is engagedbetween the surface of the felt on the ring and the surface of the saidelastic band and thereby the stocking is prevented from slipping. Thenext step is to take the attachment 126 and with the bracket portionuppermost the C-shaped body 127 thereof is pushed downwardly into thestocking until it is just a little above the normal position of theankle in the stocking then it is pulled through the ring 140 (toward thehand end), then the extension 130 of the bracket on the attachment 126(Figure 3) is slipped under the disk-like member straddling the stud 124and the bracket is then secured in such position by means of the stud93. In applying the attachment 126, as just described, a portion of thestocking lies between the C-shaped body 127 and the C-shaped member 122which carries the frictional insert 123 to prevent that portion of thestocking from slipping when the extension is inserted under the diskmember 125. It is desirable to have the stud 93 in its half-wayposition, namely, the position 930 shown in dot-dash lines in Figure 7so that the stocking may be straightened and so that the user may makesure that there is sufficient portion of the stocking left to catch.

While the use and operation of this phase of the invention has beendescribed with reference to the use of an elastic band to secure theladies stocking to ring 140, this does not constitute a part of thisinvention but may be omitted if desired. Very frequently it will befound that the resiliency of the upper end of the stocking will besufficient to cause it to grip ring with suflficient force to holdwithout the necessity of an elastic band. Both of the handles on theupper end of my device are pulled toward each other to effect themovement of the stud 93 to the position shown at 930 (Figure 7).

Then the attachment 133 is applied in the manner shown in Figure l bypositioning the rectangular hole 139 (Figure 3) over the boss 114 andthen rotating the latch 116 and thereby clamping the vertical portion138 thereof against the boss 114 and the head 113 as may best be seen inFigures 3 and 4. Then the ring 140 is centered or aligned with theC-shaped elements 122 and 127 so as to provide a clear path through thearray. Now having completed the setting just described, it is necessaryto lock the elements and this is done as follows: Both handles (Figure8) are pulled toward each other and in order for the plungers to lockthe tongue portion 31, it must be engaged by the plunger 49, (Figure 8)so that the elements are in the proper position to be tightened orclamped by the action of the screw 29 pulling on the internally threadedsleeve 30 and thence via the Bowden wire 21 to the sleeve member 87which carries the stud 93 and thereby the stocking is clamped betweenthe elements 127 and 123 and the second vertical portion is held centralby the engagement of the cross pin 104 with the notch means 106 formedon the sleeve portion 102 of the nut.

Thus with the elements in alignment the user may then push her footthrough the portion of the stocking clamped between the C-shapedelements 122 and 127 up to her ankle then she unscrews the handle 39,40, (Figure 8) and moves the ankle forward within the ring 140 so thatthe ankle clears the C-shaped elements and then said elements may beswiveled to the left or right as shown in Fig. 20. With the C-shapedelements out of the way the leg may be pushed through or into thestocking until the portion held by the ring 140 is up to or at leastnearly up to the hip then the latch is turned and the attachment 133 isallowed to leave the boss 114 free of the device. Then the said elasticband is removed and the stocking top is pulled off of the ring.Following this she releases-the catch 135 and allows the ring to flopopen so i that it can be easily removed. 7 I

T remove the stockingtfr om thelleg She applies the ring 1 40about thethigh with it open and above thetop of thestocking then she closes thering and locks it and then the top of the stocking is slipped over thering 140 until a substantial portion of the hem at the top overhangs theedge of the ring and then the said elastic band is reappliedto firmlyhold the top of the'stocking onto the ring without slipping. Theattachment 126 carrying the C-shaped body v127 is detached from thedevice and then the attachment 133 is applied to the device with the topof the stocking secured to the ring 140 and this is done by placing theslot 139 over the rectangular boss 114 and/then it is locked on byturning the latch 116 in a clockwise direction (Figure 3).

Following this she pushes the device and the ring 140 p bodiment of theinvention and modifications thereof, it

will be understood that I am not to be limited by the exact showing, asmany changes may be made in the arrangements shown and described, withinthe scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, agenerally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacentto the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support saidhosiery between the extremities of said hosiery, hosiery engaging meansdetachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, guide means forsaid last means, clamping means within said body for forcing saidengaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosierytherebetween, screw means for forcing said clamping means axially withinsaid body, handle means cooperating with said screw means for forcingsaid engaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosierytherebetween, or for moving said engaging means away from said holder torelease said hosiery.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which a second handle means isprovided on said body adjacent to said handle means and having at leastone retractable plunger cooperating with one element of said clampingmeans for quickly releasing the same, after the user has applied thehosiery to his or her foot.

3. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, agenerally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacentto the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support saidhosiery between the extremities of said hosiery, hosiery engaging meansdetachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, a Bowden wireactuated clamp for forcing said engaging means toward said holder andclamping said hosiery therebetween, screw means for forcing said Bowdenwire axially within said body, handle means cooperating with said screwmeans for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clampingsaid hosiery therebetween, or for moving said engaging means away fromsaid holder to release said hosiery, said body being divided intoseveral spaced portions with threaded socketed nuts cooperatingtherewith, and intermediate tubular sections between said portions andhaving ball-like end portions adapted to cooperate with said socketednuts to form swivel joints, whereby the device may be set in accordancewith shape of the user.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said Bowden wire has alink member mounted intermediate the ends thereof in a position to befolded by loosening one of the socketed nuts, thereby permitting thedevice to be folded into substantially half of its initial length whenit means for moving the Bowden wire, axially is comprised of acylindrical member having a threaded hole therein and a screw memberhaving external threads cooperating therewith, one of said members beingsecured to the Bow-. den wire and the other being secured to saidhandle.

6. In a device of the character described, an elongated body, an arcuatehosiery holder on said body adjacent to one end thereof, said holderbeing adapted to engage a piece of hosiery intermediate the ends of saidhosiery, hosiery clamping means also carried on said body adjacent tosaid end in cooperative relation with said holder with said engagedportion therebetween, other means carried on said body in spaced apartrelation with said holder for effecting the clamping of hosiery betweensaid holder and said clamping means and for effecting the release of anarticle of hosiery from between said holder and said first means, aswivel section on the lower end of said body, a split ring substantiallylarger in diameterthan the periphery of said holder and adapted toreceive the upper portion of said hosierythereabout, means to detachablysupport said ring on said swivel section secu'r ing said upper portionof said hosiery in non-slip relation to said ring.

7. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, agenerally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacentto the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support saidhosiery between the ends of said hosiery, hosiery engaging meansdetachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, a Bowden wireactuated clamp for forcing said engaging means toward said holder andclamping said hosiery therebetween, handle means on the upper end ofsaid body operatively connected to the Bowden wire clamp, whereby a usermay effect the clamping and the release of said hosiery, swivel meanscarried on the lower end of said body, a quickly detachable bracketcarried on said swivel means, a split ring mounted on said bracket andadapted to accommodate the upper portion of an article of hosiery andhold said upper portion in non-slip relation with said split ring. 1

8. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, agenerally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacentto the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support saidhosiery between the ends of said hosiery, hosiery engaging meansdetachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, a Bowden wireactuated clamp for forcing said engaging means toward said holder andclamping said hosiery therebetween, screw means for forcing said Bowdenwire axially within said body, handle means cooperating with said screwmeans for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clampingsaid hosiery therebetween, or for moving said engaging means away fromsaid holder to release said hosiery, a swivel section on the lower endof said body and carrying latch means, a bracket detachably engaged bysaid latch means, a split ring or hoop mounted on said bracket, saidring being adapted to accommodate a piece of hosiery near the large endthereof preventing said hosiery from slipping.

9. A device according to claim 8 in which a second handle means isprovided on said body adjacent to said first handle means and having atleast one retractable plunger cooperating with one element of saidBowden wire clamp for quickly releasing the same after the user hasapplied the hosiery to her foot, swivel means on said body adapted toswing laterally in either direction, a split ring bracket latched ontosaid swivel means, and stops on said swivel means to define the extentthat said ring may be bodily swung to extreme right and left positions.

10. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, agenerally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacentto the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support saidhosiery between the ends of said hosiery, hosiery engaging meansdetachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, a Bowden wireactuated clamp for forcing said engaging means toward said holder andclamping said hosiery therebetween, handle means on the upper end ofsaid body operatively connected to the Bowden wire clamp, Whereby a usermay efiect the clamping and the release of said hosiery, swivel meanscarried on the lower end of said body and including a swiveled sleevemeans, a noncircular boss carried on said sleeve means, latch meanscarried on said b'oss, a bracket having a hole formed therein to matchand fit over said non-circular boss, a split ring or hook mounted onsaid bracket, said ring being adapted to have the upper end of a pieceof hosiery mounted in embracing relation thereon holding said upperportion of said hosiery in non-skid relation to said split ring.

11. A device according to claim 8 in which a second handle meansprovided on said body adjacent to said first handle means has at leastone retractable plunger, and in which the upper end of said Bowden wireclamp has a cylindrical element detachably secured thereto, saidcylindrical element having a lateral slot formed therein,

and a second cylindrical member having a tongue forming a working fit insaid slot, said last mentioned member having internal threads engaged byscrew means connected to said first mentioned handle means, said tongueand said first mentioned member having aligned holes therein normally inalignment with said retractable plunger.

12. The invention according to claim 11 in which said second handlemeans has in addition to said first retractable plunger, a secondretractable plunger which engages the opposite hole of said alignedholes and retains said first mentioned cylindrical body in apre-determined position and oriented with said tongue means on the othercylindrical body.

13. The invention according to claim 12 in which said second handlemeans carries sleeve-like caps connected to the respective plungers andhaving the edges thereof opposite the cap means configurated to formcams for re tracting said plungers and for maintaining them in aretracted state.

Deiley Sept. 2, 1919 Park June 8, 1948

